Jack White thought when he first wrote the riff for “Seven Nation Army” that it would be for maybe a James Bond theme song. A buddy he played it for didn’t think too highly of it — it’s all right, he said. All right? Jack White thought. He was thinking more that it’d be good for “maybe one day if I ever get to do a James Bond theme song or something like that. Or a spy movie, maybe I’ll use [it].”
It turned out “Seven Nation Army” didn’t need 007’s help to hit the big time. Or Jason Bourne or anybody else. Though it’s doubtless that every Bond film since would have been improved by using the song. All “Seven Nation Army” needed was The White Stripes, and for White to lay down one of the most foreboding signature rock guitar riffs since Keith Richards woke up with Jack Daniels and “Satisfaction” in his brain. “Seven Nation Army” won the Best Rock Song Grammy in 2003. (There have been four Bonds since then.) In the video below White generously teaches a couple of other guys to play the tune. Guys named Jimmy Page and The Edge. The three play it together, before White tries to charge the Led Zeppelin and U2 legends five bucks for the lesson.
